


I'm Going to Call You Pepper

by Towaneko



Series: Hidden Hearts [3]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Meetings, Interviews, M/M, Pepper Spray, Pre-Doctor Strange (2016), Pre-Iron Man 1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 05:53:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14513949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Towaneko/pseuds/Towaneko
Summary: Welcome in Pepper Potts





	I'm Going to Call You Pepper

Stephen Strange had been reviewing one of his new patients files, he had finally left behind the emergency room and was working in neurology department, when he heard the door open and close. Knowing it could only be his boyfriend, he didn’t bother looking up as footsteps approached the couch. 

“You won’t believe the day that I had.” Tony said as he sat down, careful not to knock over or crumple any of Stephen’s papers. He pulled at his tie quickly loosening it til the fabric hung across his shoulders. 

“You got another one of your assistants fired and spent the day trying to figure out where you were supposed to be and when.”

Tony paused a look of surprise on his face. “How did you know that?” 

Stephen looked up from his paperwork giving Tony his patented ‘Are you intently sounding stupid?’ stare. A stare that only Tony got, everyone else was either ignored or declared stupid. 

“Seriously,” Tony continued when it was clear his boyfriend was not going to say anything, “how did you know?” 

Stephen sighed and closed the file he had been reading. “This morning you refused to leave the bed even though your assistant was panicking because you had a board meeting.”

“You weren’t complaining this morning.” Tony muttered. “Besides Obi is used to me missing meetings, he shouldn’t have fired the guy because I missed one meeting.” 

“Fifth.” 

“What?” 

Stephen sighed, clearly done with his boyfriend’s obliviousness. “That was the fifth meeting you’ve missed since Robert started.” 

“Huh,” Tony looked lost in thought for a moment. “His name was Robert?” 

Stephen rolled his eyes before reopening his file. “You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.” 

~~~~~~~

“No.”

“But-” 

“No means No, Tony. It doesn’t matter what you are offering me.”

“I just need you to come and stay while I interview people. Obi doesn’t trust me to pick a ‘competent’ assistant by myself.” 

“The fact that you said competent with air quotes explains everything.” 

“It’ll just be a few hours and then if we don’t find anyone we can leave. Plus�—”

“Tony.”

“Yes?” 

“Wh-what did I say about, urm doing that?” 

“Not when you’re studying or doing doctor stuff. Right now I’m rewarding my boyfriend for agreeing to come with me to conduct interviews.”

“I-I didn’t—Fine! Just-just don’t stop.”

“Whatever you say, _Doctor Strange._ ” 

~~~~~~~

“Thanks, we’ll get back to you,” Tony said trying not to sound too flippant when dismissing the latest in a long line of idiots that had somehow got it in their minds that they had a chance at becoming his personal assistant. 

He looked over at Stephen, the young doctor’s eyebrow was twitching in annoyance and he was in the process of ripping up the resume of the last interviewee. Tony really couldn’t blame him. They had been interviewing people for the last three hours and not one of them was even close to being considered. Everyone probably thought being Tony Stark’s assistant was easy. That they just had to follow him around and follow orders. 

This was certainly not the case. Both Tony and Stephen knew he needed someone not afraid to make their own decisions and to do things that Tony would not appreciate. Things like making sure he got to meetings on time, that he did his paperwork and even forcing him to take a break when he was working too much. JARVIS could only do so much, being an AI and one in the early stages, and Stephen’s schedule didn’t always mesh with Tony’s. He had once found Tony passed out in the lab after one of his previous assistants had let him work for 72 hours straight not bothering to make sure he ate. 

A good personal assistant would be able to handle that and more.

“I think we are done for the day,” Stephen said swiping the few remaining resumes off the table into trash. “None of these people are even close to being capable of handling your schedule much less everything else they would need to do.” 

Tony sighed, “Frankly, I don’t think such a person exists. Hey, maybe you should be my assistant! You know how to handle me.” 

“Like I’m going to give up my career to be your assistant.” 

“But babe think of all the desk sex we could have,” Tony whined. 

Before Stephen could reply there was a loud bang and shouting could be heard outside the office door. 

“Ma’am, we can’t let you in there. Mr. Stark is a very busy–ARGH!” 

The doors were then thrown open and a tall, lithe woman with long fiery red hair walked in heading straight for the desk Tony and Stephen were sitting at. Just beyond the doors they could see Tony’s bodyguards on the floor rubbing furiously at their eyes.

“Did you pepper spray my bodyguards?” Tony asked amazed. Judging by the elbow he got to the side, that was not the proper reaction. 

“I did. They would not let me in to see you and it was an urgent matter, Mr. Stark.” She was carrying a large stack of papers, on top of which was the can of pepper spray she had used to get in, but didn’t seem to have any other weapons. 

“And what was so urgent that you had to take out five bodyguards to get in?” Stephen asked. 

The woman laid the papers down on the desk spreading them out. “My name is Virginia Potts. I’m one of the accountants for Stark Industries. Last week when I was reviewing the accounts I discovered an error that will cost the company millions if it is left uncorrected. However when I brought this error up everyone told me it couldn’t be an error because Tony Stark did the numbers on these accounts himself.” 

Tony scoffed. “Numbers are sort of my thing, Ms Virginia Potts. Now show me where you think this supposed error is and why it was so important you had to break into my office.” 

Stephen raised an eyebrow when Virginia didn’t even flinch or seem nervous before pointing to a spot on the papers and sliding a few more over as Tony began to take a look at them. 

“Well, I’ll be damned.” 

“Let me guess you did these numbers last minute after coming off one of your inventing binges?” Stephen shook his head when all Tony could do was look at him with that bashful look of his. 

“Ms Virginia Potts, was it?” 

“Yes.” 

“How would you like a promotion?” 

For the first time since walking in, Virginia looked surprised. 

“The only problem is I can’t call you Ms. Potts all the time,” Tony interrupted, ”It’s too formal. And Virginia is a state not a proper name.”

“Tony-.”

“Wait! I got it,” Tony grinned as he looked at his still incapacitated bodyguards. 

“I’m going to call you Pepper.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](towaneko.tumblr.com)
> 
> Come chat about future parts or share your feels about Infinity Wars with me.


End file.
